12. COMBRETACEE. 
extraordinarily large proportion of calcium carbonate. Exter- 
nally it is used in the form of an astringent wash to ulcers. 
Description.—The bark is generally sold in short half 
quills, frcm } to 2 of an inch thick, and several inches long 5 
it has a pinkish colour, which is seen through the thin grey ~ 
epidermis ; its substance is fibrous and gritty under the teeth ; 
it breaks with a short fracture, the internal surface being 
of a lighter colour and finely striated. The taste is agreeably 
astringent. The bark when magnified shows remarkably 
large cells in the medullary rays, and numerous large stone 
cells of a bright yellow colour contrast strikingly with the — 
pinkish tinge of the other structures. It contains much crys- 
talline matter. 
Chemical composition.—This is most remarkable, the ash 
amounts to 84 per cent. of almost pure calcium carbonate, — 
which if calculated into oxalate would amount to 43°5 per 
cent, The watery extract is 23 per cent. with 16 per cent. 
of tannin; very little colouring matter besides the tannin is 
extracted by alcohol. The tannin gave a blue-black precipitate 
with ferric salts. : Te 
ANOGEISSUS LATIFOLIA, Wall. 
Fig.—Bedd. Fl. Sylv., t. 15; Royle Ill., t. 45; Wight Ie., t. 
Hab.—Himalayas to Ceylon. The gum and leaves. 
_ Syn.—Conocarpus latifolia. 
Vernacular.—Dhéoya, Dhaura, Dhava, Bakla (Hind.), Davda 
(Que. ., Mar.), Vallai-naga, Vakkali (Z'am.), Chiriman, Yella- 2 
maddi (Tel.), Dinduga (Can.). a 
History, Uses, &c.—A large and very common tree j 
called in Sanskrit Dhava, Dhavala, Madhura-tvacha and Vaka-_ 
vriksha, or “crane tree,’ on account of the resemblance of 
its fruit to the head of a crane (vaka). The wood is ha: 
but not durable ; it affords a good fuel and excellent chare 
The tree is remarkable for the large amount of gum | 
